


The Road Goes Ever On

by Nyodrite



Series: SI/OCs [3]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Goblet of Fire AU, Self-Insert, gof au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-08 20:06:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7771375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyodrite/pseuds/Nyodrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Blimey,” Ron, whom apparently noticed something was going on and was drawn from his food, said. “What do you think happened?”</p><p>“Dunno,” Harry said. “But whatever it is, I don’t think Cedric will be putting his name into the Goblet of Fire.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue:  A Shift In The Story

_“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.”_

**\- Gautama Buddha**

.

* * *

 

.

“That’s odd.”

Harry blinked, turning to his friend and asked, “What’s odd?”

Hermione was frowning in the direction of the Hufflepuff table. “Remember Cedric Diggory?” The witch didn’t wait for him to answer, “An owl just flew in and delivered a letter- it’s just odd since we usually get mail during breakfast not dinner.”

“Huh.” Harry said, turning to look at the Hufflepuff table.

It took a moment but he found Cedric in the sea of black and yellow, the teen was reading a letter at what seemed like a rapid pace what was worrying though, was how the Hufflepuff’s face paled the farther he read until finally it seemed like a chalky-white color by the end of the letter. Then Cedric was standing, drawing confused and worried murmurs from fellow Hufflepuffs and the attention of the rest of the Hall as the teen approached the Head Table- still pale faced but jaw set in a way that spoke of both pain and determination. Cedric said something to Professor Dumbledore, for all that the Hall had went quiet in an attempt to listen the Hufflepuff’s words did not carry, that had the old man looking solemn and standing also with a murmured explanation for the rest of the teachers sitting near him and the two other Headmasters. Both Professors McGonagall and Sprout also stood then, with nothing else said, the four of them hurried out of the Great Hall, leaving a stunned silence in their wake.

“Blimey,” Ron, whom apparently noticed something was going on and was drawn from his food, said. “What do you think happened?”

“Dunno,” Harry said. “But whatever it is, I don’t think Cedric will be putting his name into the Goblet of Fire.”

There was a beat of silence before conversation broke out throughout the Hall.


	2. Alex and Ellie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once that dead student woke once more in blank world filled with children and teens of all ages with floating, glowing orbs of all colors before them. A deep purple orb came into existence before her and told her she was too young for death, that she would be getting a second chance to live until adulthood (until twenty-one) and did she have a preference.

_“You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly— that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.”_

**\- Anne Lamott**

.

* * *

.

Cedric had met his American cousin, Alex Moore, multiple times before. 

Alex had actually been the one to teach him to ride a broom when he was six and his father had still been working overtime as the Ministry learned how to deal with the sudden peace they were in after a decade of war. Then Alex adopted a little orphan girl with large blue eyes and wild black hair with a mess of freckles smattering from cheek to cheek and across the nose- Cedric saw his cousin a lot less then but he wasn’t put out because he could tell, even just from letters, how happy Alex was to take care of little Elicia.

Elicia Walker come Moore hadn’t been one of those gleefully mischievous children you always hear about, she was a quiet and solemn child that hardly talked and preferred books or animals over human companionship- Alex had once wrote that it was as if the child was  _ mourning _ something, but it was ridiculous since the girl was too young to remember her birth parents and there wasn’t anyone else she could be mourning. Two long years of worry and dogged care from Alex and little Ellie, as the adoptive father had affectionately dubbed the child, was finally opening up, seeming to be on her way to that energetic mischief stage all parents dreaded.

Then Alex Moore died and little Ellie was an orphan once more.

Elicia Moore stayed blank-faced in Cedric’s mother’s arms, his mum trying to soothe away tears that weren’t present and hush crying the four year old didn’t voice as Amos Diggory levitated Alex’s coffin onto the pyre. Even as Cedric raised his wand to lite the pyre, he felt worry over how withdrawn the four year old was, a simple fire spell was at the tip of his tongue but-

A trill then a short, mournful song as a phoenix dove at the pyre and, as the pyre lit in a whirl of flames and the phoenix flew to perch on Professor Dumbledore’s shoulder, Cedric felt his worry and grief ease- felt hope stir. Elicia stayed silent as the fire burned, through their picking the bones from the ashes and only after they had ground the bones down did she speak, though it wasn’t directed towards anyone in particular and it sounded as if she were quoting something.

“Do not stand at my grave and weep; I am not there, I do not sleep.” The four year old’s voice rang through the silence and Cedric saw him mum start at the unexpected words. “Do not stand at my grave and cry; I am not there, I did not die.”

Then, finally, Elicia cried and Cedric felt something in him relax even as his mum tried to soothe the hiccupping sobs away.

* * *

Alex-  _ Papa’s,  _ she corrected herself sternly, ashes were put in a wooded container that was carved into the shape of a Thunderbird- the deceased’s House from when he went to Ilvermorny.

“It’s made of spruce,” her cousin, Cedric, told her. “Because Alex’s wand was made of spruce.”

And a wand was a wizard’s most valuable possession from the moment they got one.

“What…” She-  _ Ellie _ , Papa called her Ellie- was hit by this urgent need to know. “...in wandlore...what does spruce mean?”

Grey eyes watched her. “If I remember right, spruce’s ideal match is  _ ‘a bold spell-caster with a good sense of humor’ _ and with them it  _ ‘becomes a superb helper, intensely loyal to their owners and capable of producing particularly flamboyant and dramatic effects’ _ .”

“It suits him.” Ellie decided.

“Yes,” her cousin agreed quietly, “It does.”

And that was that, they both sat in silence and watched the different shadows the urn cast as the sun moved.

_ Cedric _ , She decided as both adult fussed over them when they found the two,  _ is my favorite. I’m not losing him.  _ Ellie swore with a final glance to the urn before they were ushered to the dining table for dinner.

* * *

Ellie’s story went a bit like this;

Once there was a freshman college student who decided to learn to drive. That student was unlucky enough to be test driving when an earthquake happened and that student died, never knowing what happened to her family or even her driving instructor.

Once that dead student woke once more in blank world filled with children and teens of all ages with floating, glowing orbs of all colors before them. A deep purple orb came into existence before her and told her she was too young for death, that she would be getting a second chance to live until adulthood (until twenty-one) and did she have a preference.

Once that dead student chose  _ magic _ , hoping for safety and wonder but getting a world that would soon be dragged into war. The orb told her then that she was nineteen so she could choose nineteen things to remember of the world she was going to.

Once that student chose to remember what a Horcrux was, who Voldemort was, what the seven Horcruxes of Voldemort were, who the Golden Trio were, what the Room of Requirement was and how to get in it, when Voldemort regained his body, that Peter Pettigrew was the pet rat Scabbers, that Sirius Black was innocent, when the Ministry fell to Voldemort, who were DA and what they did during the war.

Once that dead student became a baby to a young, excited couple and she hoped for the future even as she worried about it.

Once that baby used magic and the young couple abandoned her and she wondered why she should even humor hope or get close to people in this world.

Once that baby grew into a toddler in a orphanage and that toddler was adopted by a man name Alex Moore.

Once that toddler grew close to that man despite her better judgement and part of her felt vindicated when the man died while she was a child.

Once that child wavered between distance and caring before a phoenix sing pushed her over the edge into caring.

Once that child latched on to her cousin and she decided that, whatever else the future might bring, she absolutely could  _ not _ lose her cousin- because she felt deep in her bones that his death would be the final nail to her coffin, would be what she would be tired to recover from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ellie's more withdrawn then Koharu because it's her first time, she dealing with her grief for the very first time- once she starts to move on she'll become more like Koharu.


	3. Responsibility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This is…” Minerva paused then seemed to settle on, “Highly irregular.”
> 
> Severus snorted, “If by ‘irregular’ you mean preferential treatment. This kind of thing isn’t  _ done _ \- it isn’t even necessary, Diggory’s parents can take care of the child while he returns.”
> 
> “Cedric doesn’t want to leave her.” Pomona said. But that wasn’t  _ right- _ “I don’t think that he  _ can _ leave her without it being detrimental to the  _ both _ of them.”

_“It gives me strength to have somebody to fight for; I can never fight for myself, but, for others, I can kill.”_

**\- Emilie Autumn**

**.**

* * *

**.**

“This is…” Minerva paused then seemed to settle on, “Highly irregular.”

Severus snorted, “If by ‘irregular’ you mean preferential treatment. This kind of thing isn’t  _ done _ \- it isn’t even necessary, Diggory’s parents can take care of the child while he returns.”

“Cedric doesn’t want to leave her.” Pomona said. But that wasn’t  _ right- _ “I don’t think that he  _ can _ leave her without it being detrimental to the  _ both _ of them.”

Filius’ dark eyes watched her as he prompted, “What do you mean by that?”

“Cedric is handling Alex Moore’s death better but he’s  _ already decided _ that Elicia is his responsibility, partially because he’s the kind of person who sees a sad child then just wants to  _ make it better _ and partially because he  _ wants to be distracted _ .” She told them. “He’s done his OWLs already and  _ is _ seventeen for all that he’s a Sixth Year, if it comes down to continuing his education and taking care of his cousin. Well, I doubt he’ll choose Hogwarts.”

But that also wasn’t quite  _ right- _ “No.” Pomona corrected. “I  _ know _ he won’t choose Hogwarts. He’s already chose Elicia, decided she’s more important then returning- Irene sent a letter informing me that he’s been questioning his father about the procedures on taking NEWTs at the Ministry so, for him, it’s already decided that he will not leave her.”

That made Pomona equal parts proud- because her little badger had grown from a shy first year into a young man whom chose his path and figured out how to make things  _ work _ \- and worried- because if her badger had already, for all that he was taking measures that would allow him to still succeed as an adult, chose this child over his education then what  _ else _ would he sacrifice to try and fill a spot he should not have to.

“And the girl?” Minerva asked, she hadn’t been exactly  _ cheerful _ but evidently the Transfiguration professor had seen what had worried Pomona.

The lone Hufflepuff let out a whoosh of air, “Elicia’s latched onto Cedric- it’s worrying and could develop into something... _ unhealthy _ ,” Pomona settled on. “Especially if Cedric  _ does _ drop out because then it’s unlikely she would even attempt to interact with anyone besides him and his parents.”

“Hence,” the Headmaster said, finally speaking since this discussion started. “Your strong argument for us to allow young Miss Moore to accompany Mister Diggory back to Hogwarts.”

It wasn’t exactly a question but Pomona still nodded, “Yes. Elicia will isolate herself from anyone else because she’s decided that Cedric’s all she needs and, while she will likely become attached to the Diggory couple due to their continued proximity, it will do her no favors when it’s time for her to start Hogwarts.” She explained. “And Cedric isn’t mature enough to realize that sometimes you have to do things that will make a child unhappy if you want to do what’s best for them- he will only know that Elicia doesn’t like interacting with other, that staying at home with him will make her  _ happy _ and so he will do exactly that because he just wants to make her be  _ alright _ again and that seems to work.”

“And bringing the child  _ here _ would change things, how? If she doesn’t want anyone but Diggory.” Severus asked though she was positive it was more to get her to  _ say _ her reasoning rather then him being unable to guess it.

So Pomona said, “Cedric won’t be able to take her with to class- at least not  _ all _ of them- so he’ll leave Elicia with fellow housemates, likely in the common room, since he’s close enough to pop in to check on her between classes he’ll deal with it even if he wished for different. Elicia will forced to interact with others, to be better socialized then otherwise but still able to retreat to just Cedric when her nerves are rubbed raw- if it becomes too much.”

“Will Mister Diggory get his own dorm to share with the young Miss Moore?” Albus asked.

And, since the start of this conversation, Pomona allowed herself to fully relax.

* * *

“A...cat?” Ellie wondered, head tilted to peer it the fluff ball that was the kitten.

Cedric nodded, in his hands the kitten let out a curious kind of  _ mrrow _ noise. “We can’t have a dog,” He explained, patiently waiting with the animal held out in case the four year old wanted to hold or pet it. “But cats are fine.”

For a moment it looked like she were about to argue but the kitten takes a step forwards, letting out another  _ mrrow? _ and then Ellie is petting it. “Does it have a name?”

“No. That’s for you to decide.” He tells her, adding. “It’s a boy, a Manx and Maine Coon mix.”

She stares at the kitten- taking in the short tail, the white fur, the longer rear legs, the pink nose, the gold and blue eyes- before grabbing it. “Nakita,” Ellie tells it, holding it so it rests against her chest- jerking a bit when it’s nose brushes her neck. “I’ll call you Nakita.”

“Nakita?” Cedric wonders.

Fingers buried in white, Ellie nods. “Nakita. For ‘Not an Akita’.” Part of him wants to question where ‘akita’ even came from but the girl was watching him as she asked, “Is he a bribe?”

“Yes.” He says because it is the truth.

“You’re returning to Hogwarts?” She asks.

Again he answers honestly, “Yes.”

“Oh.” Ellie says, focusing on Nakita.

“Professor Sprout,” Cedric continues, watching as the girl stills. “Managed to convince the Headmaster and other Head of Houses to let me bring you along. That-” He stumbles verbally as he suddenly realized that he’d been under the assumption that it was a given his cousin would want to go with him. “Is if you  _ want _ to come along.”

“But I thought-” She starts, head snapping up to let her look at him.

Cedric almost wants to hug her but Ellie goes silent and still each time someone does (he wonders if Alex never hugged her, which seems impossible, or if she remembers someone else when they hug her and it returns her grief to the forefront) so he squats before her and places a hand on the shoulder not housing a cat head, asking, “Do you want to come with me?”

“...Yes.” She says eventually.

He nods once, firmly. “Then you will come with me.”


End file.
